A day in the life: Abilene's zookeepers tend to lions, giraffes, rhinos and more
Editor's note: This the nineth story in the Abilene Reporter News series, "A Day in the Life," in which we shadow local law enforcement, public figures and other people of note to catch a glimpse of all that they do for the community every day.
The back section of the giraffe enclosure was hot and humid, but zookeepers couldn't keep the smiles off their faces. They were about to examine the 4-day-old baby giraffe for the first time and find out whether it was a boy or a girl.
They had already separated the mother and her baby into two adjoining enclosures to protect the zookeepers from a worried and watchful mother. The strongest of the zookeepers cornered the baby and held it steady while Dr. Mike Nance, the resident veterinarian, did his work with two veterinary technicians.
The baby clocked in at a whooping 6-foot-3-inches tall on day four of life, and the zookeepers cheered when they announced it was a healthy baby girl.
Resident giraffe zookeeper Katelyn Zak wondered aloud if the new baby girl would get a military-themed name.
The calf was born on the day of Zoolute — a salute to military members who enjoyed free zoo admission May 18.
Regardless of what the new baby's name will be, the joy was palpable in the back of the giraffe enclosure as keepers recounted a whopping 10 baby giraffes born in recent years.
Nance said this was the third giraffe calf born since he joined the zoo about two years ago, and he has seen everything from baby flamingos to secretary birds to newborn pigs.
Ever humble, however, Nance said the true "heroes are the ones who take care of them every day."
It is certainly not a desk job. Abilene's zookeepers are enthusiastic animal lovers who walk an average of 25,000 steps a day.
While you may think zookeepers simply cuddle up to cute animals, you would be wrong. They work diligently to ensure the animals receive the best care and also have the cleanest cages.
It is also certainly not a job for the faint of heart. In one pass of the Black Rhino enclosure, zookeepers lifted and cleaned out around 200 hundred pounds of rhino dung — all with a smile on their faces.
A chance encounter leads to the career of a lifetime
Michaela Hyles did not always think that she would grow up to be a zookeeper, but a chance encounter with an Abilene Zoo veterinarian led her down this path.
Hyles was studying biology with a specialization in wildlife conservation at Hardin-Simmons University when HSU brought in several agencies looking for summer interns. The zoo veterinarian prior to Nance came to the campus and mentioned to her that the zoo was looking for an intern for the bird rehabilitation program.
History was made as Hyles landed the internship and went on to become a full-time keeper.
When speaking about her passion for her job, Hyles said she is happy to work at the zoo because the animals are all so special to her. She said sometimes she sees her animals more than she sees her husband.
Hyles mainly works with birds, squirrel monkeys and sloths, but her favorite is the prehensile-tailed porcupine. She must wear a mask, however, to interact with these porcupines as it protects them from human-born illnesses.
Despite the mask, it is easy to see the relationship she has developed with male "Serg" as she participates in daily target training with him. Hyles uses walnuts — the desired treat of most zoo animals — to get him to stand on hind legs.
This action helps veterinary staff to examine animals, take blood draws, trim toenails or even perform sonograms on pregnant animals.
More importantly, however, Hyles said by learning these actions, simple veterinary procedures like drawing blood from animals is "not as stressful for them." It also helps build zookeeper relationships with the animals in the same way she has a strong bond with her three rescued dogs.
From the family farm to a zoo conservationist
Hyles did not grow up thinking she would become a zookeeper. She did, however, grow up with a love of the outdoors after working on her family farm.
She said she preferred the outside to the indoors from a young age, and she still feels the same way. Hyles rarely stands still on a typical workday, which makes her a perfect fit as a zookeeper at the Abilene Zoo.
She said she has "a passion for conservation," and this job allows her to have a piece of that.
Hyles works primarily in the bird program, but she is also the main keeper on sloth tours in addition to flamingo-keeper chats during special events at the zoo.
She especially takes pride in her extensive work with Sadie, the two-toed sloth who at first refused to take food from any keepers. After the keeper spent time working with Sadie, she happily takes food from the palms of strangers during sloth tours — all thanks to Hyles' hard work.
Sadie is also a product of the Species Survival Plan program, which matches animals based on their genetics to breed. This is how Sadie got her mate at the Abilene Zoo just a couple of years ago.
Hyles said Sadie was a single lady, until Marvin, a male two-toed sloth, moved to the zoo. He was originally in the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, and he is in Abilene with the goal of breeding to further the species.
Part insect, part keeper
In addition to her bird-keeping responsibilities, Hyles is the lead on the Monarch Safe Program. This program helps to ensure the Abilene Zoo is a haven for monarch butterflies who fly south during migration on their way to their roosting site in Mexico.
The butterflies stop at the zoo to rest on their way to Mexico every fall and then again every spring when they fly as far north as Canada.
Veterinarian Nance said of Hyles, "She has hemolymph for blood" — or the blood of insects — in a nod to how much Hyles cares for insects and pollinators at the zoo.
"That kind of passion is contagious," Nance said.
He said that with Hyles' suggestions, the city of Abilene could help save the species by planting milkweed in gardens, creating a home-based safe haven for the butterflies.
While it is clear to see the love Hyles has for her job, she said without hesitation, "The hardest part of being a keeper is losing an animal."
At times, zookeepers can suffer from compassion fatigue as keepers work to cure and heal the animal. But in the end, sometimes it is not within their control as was the case when giraffe Makena recently died.
"We put a lot of work into the animals, so it's hard," she said sadly. "It's a time to lean on your coworkers."
The Abilene Zoo is full of compassionate workers, like Hyles, who always go the extra mile whether it's for a coworker, a giraffe herd or a two-toed sloth.
It will be an exciting time to watch the zoo after the recent birth of the new giraffe and as the new expansion begins. Abilenians voted last November in favor of a zoo bond. The bond will bring an indoor cafe to the zoo, as well as an interactive lion enclosure and a brand-new cheetah enclosure.
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This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: A day in the life: Abilene's zookeepers
